The Battle of Naseby 1645

The Battle of Naseby was a decisive engagement of the English Civil War fought on 14 June 1645 between the main Royalist army of King Charles I and the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell It was fought near the village of Naseby in Northamptonshire Fairfax was ordered to lift his siege of Oxford the Royalist capital and engage the Kings main army Eager to bring battle to the Royalists Fairfax set off in pursuit of the Royalist army which was heading to recover the north The King faced with retreating north with Fairfax close behind or giving battle decided to give battle fearing a loss of morale if his army continued retreating After hard fighting the Parliamentarian army all but destroyed the Royalist force which suffered 6000 casualties out of 7400 effectives Charles had lost the bulk of his army Within a year Parliament had won the first civil war